Semiconductor light emitting structure and semiconductor package structure

ABSTRACT

A semiconductor light emitting structure includes an epitaxial structure, an N-type electrode pad, a P-type electrode pad and an insulation layer. The N-type electrode pad and the P-type electrode pad are disposed on the epitaxial structure apart, wherein the P-type electrode pad has a first upper surface. The insulation layer is disposed on the epitaxial structure and located between the N-type electrode pad and the P-type electrode pad, wherein the insulation layer has a second upper surface. The first upper surface of the P-type electrode pad and the second upper surface of the insulation layer are coplanar.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

1. Field of the Disclosure

The disclosure relates to a semiconductor light emitting structure and asemiconductor package structure and, more particularly, to asemiconductor light emitting structure and a semiconductor packagestructure capable of strengthening an epitaxial structure effectively.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A conventional method for manufacturing a thin-film flip-chip lightemitting diode usually comprises steps of forming an epitaxial structureon a substrate first and then forming an N-type electrode and a P-typeelectrode on the epitaxial structure, so as to form a semiconductorlight emitting structure. Afterward, the semiconductor light emittingstructure is bonded onto a support base, such that the N-type electrodeand the P-type electrode are electrically connected to an N-type bondingpad and a P-type bonding pad of the support base, respectively. Finally,the substrate is removed by a laser removing process, so as to form thethin-film flip-chip light emitting diode. However, since the epitaxialstructure is a thin layer, the epitaxial structure may crack due tostresses while the substrate is being removed by the laser removingprocess. Accordingly, the yield rate of the thin-film flip-chip lightemitting diode is reduced and the manufacture cost is increased.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure provides a semiconductor light emitting structure and asemiconductor package structure capable of strengthening an epitaxialstructure effectively, so as to solve the aforesaid problems.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a semiconductor lightemitting structure comprises an epitaxial structure, an N-type electrodepad, a P-type electrode pad and an insulation layer. The N-typeelectrode pad and the P-type electrode pad are disposed on the epitaxialstructure apart, wherein the P-type electrode pad has a first uppersurface. The insulation layer is disposed on the epitaxial structure andlocated between the N-type electrode pad and the P-type electrode pad,wherein the insulation layer has a second upper surface. The first uppersurface of the P-type electrode pad and the second upper surface of theinsulation layer are coplanar.

Preferably, the N-type electrode pad has a third upper surface, and thefirst upper surface, the second upper surface and a part of the thirdupper surface are coplanar.

Preferably, the N-type electrode pad has a third upper surface, and thefirst upper surface, the second upper surface and the third uppersurface are coplanar.

Preferably, the semiconductor light emitting structure further comprisesa height increasing pad disposed on the epitaxial structure and locatedbetween the N-type electrode pad and the P-type electrode pad, whereinthe insulation layer covers the height increasing pad.

Preferably, the semiconductor light emitting structure further comprisesa substrate, wherein the epitaxial structure is formed on the substrate.

According to another embodiment of the disclosure, a semiconductorpackage structure comprises a support base, an N-type bonding pad, aP-type bonding pad and the semiconductor light emitting structurementioned in the above. The N-type bonding pad and the P-type bondingpad are disposed on the support base, and a recess exists between theN-type bonding pad and the P-type bonding pad. The N-type electrode padof the semiconductor light emitting structure is electrically connectedto the N-type bonding pad, and the P-type electrode pad of thesemiconductor light emitting structure is electrically connected to theP-type bonding pad.

As mentioned in the above, the disclosure makes the upper surface of theP-type electrode pad and the upper surface of the insulation layer to becoplanar, so as to strengthen the epitaxial structure. Accordingly, thedisclosure can effectively prevent the epitaxial structure from crackingdue to stresses while the substrate is being removed by a laser removingprocess. Furthermore, the disclosure may make the upper surface of theP-type electrode pad, the upper surface of the insulation layer and apart or the entire of the upper surface of the N-type electrode pad tobe coplanar, so as to further strengthen the epitaxial structure.Moreover, the disclosure may dispose the height increasing pad on theepitaxial structure and use the insulation layer to cover the heightincreasing pad, so as to ensure that the upper surface of the P-typeelectrode pad and the upper surface of the insulation layer are coplanarafter forming the semiconductor light emitting structure.

These and other objectives of the present disclosure will no doubtbecome obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading thedetailed description of the following embodiments those are illustratedin the various figures and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a semiconductor light emittingstructure according to a first embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a semiconductor light emittingstructure according to a second embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating a semiconductor light emittingstructure according to a third embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating a semiconductor light emittingstructure according to a fourth embodiment of the disclosure.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are schematic views illustrating the process ofmanufacturing a semiconductor package structure according to a fifthembodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating a semiconductor packagestructure according to a sixth embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating a semiconductor packagestructure according to a seventh embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view illustrating a semiconductor packagestructure according to an eighth embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating asemiconductor light emitting structure 1 according to a first embodimentof the disclosure. The semiconductor light emitting structure 1 of thedisclosure comprises an epitaxial structure 12 formed on a substrate 10,wherein the epitaxial structure 12 comprises an N-type semiconductorlayer 120, a light emitting layer 122 and a P-type semiconductor layer124, and the light emitting layer 122 is located between the N-typesemiconductor layer 120 and the P-type semiconductor layer 124. In thisembodiment, the substrate 10 may be a glass substrate, a plasticsubstrate, a sapphire substrate, a ceramic substrate or other supportsubstrates, the N-type semiconductor layer 120 may be an N-type GaNlayer, and the P-type semiconductor layer 124 maybe a P-type GaN layer.It should be noted that the light emitting principle of the epitaxialstructure 12 is well known by one skilled in the art, so the relatedexplanation will not be depicted herein again. Afterward, an N-typeelectrode pad 22 and a P-type electrode pad 24 are disposed on theepitaxial structure 12 apart, and an insulation layer 16 is disposed onthe epitaxial structure 12 and located between the N-type electrode pad22 and the P-type electrode pad 24, wherein the N-type electrode pad 22and the P-type electrode pad 24 are electrically connected to the N-typesemiconductor layer 120 and the P-type semiconductor layer 124,respectively. The method for manufacturing the aforesaid structure is toform two holes 160, 162 at appropriate positions of the insulation layer16 corresponding to the N-type semiconductor layer 120 and the P-typesemiconductor layer 124, and then fill appropriate conductive materialinto the holes 160, 162 to form an N-type conductive structure 18 and aP-type conductive structure 20 in the holes 160, 162. Accordingly, theN-type electrode pad 22 is electrically connected to the N-typesemiconductor layer 120 through the N-type conductive structure 18, andthe P-type electrode pad 24 is electrically connected to the P-typesemiconductor layer 124 through the P-type conductive structure 20.

As shown in FIG. 1, the N-type electrode pad 22 and the P-type electrodepad 24 are disposed on the epitaxial structure 12 apart, wherein theP-type electrode pad 24 has a first upper surface 240, the insulationlayer 16 located between the N-type electrode pad 22 and the P-typeelectrode pad 24 has a second upper surface 164, and the N-typeelectrode pad 22 has a third upper surface 220. In this embodiment, thesecond upper surface 164 of the insulation layer 16 connects the firstupper surface 240 of the P-type electrode pad 24 and the third uppersurface 220 of the N-type electrode pad 22.

In this embodiment, the disclosure disposes the insulation layer 16between the P-type electrode pad 24 and the N-type electrode pad 22 andmakes the first upper surface 240 of the P-type electrode pad 24 and thesecond upper surface 164 of the insulation layer 16 to be coplanar, soas to strengthen the epitaxial structure 12. Accordingly, the disclosurecan effectively prevent the epitaxial structure 12 from cracking due tostresses while the substrate 10 is being removed by a laser removingprocess. Preferably, the first upper surface 240 of the P-type electrodepad 24, the second upper surface 164 of the insulation layer 16 and thethird upper surface 220 of the N-type electrode pad 22 are coplanar.Preferably, the second upper surface 164 of the insulation layer 16connects the first upper surface 240 of the P-type electrode pad 24 andthe third upper surface 220 of the N-type electrode pad 22, such thatthere is no gap between the P-type electrode pad 24 and the N-typeelectrode pad 22. Accordingly, the semiconductor light emittingstructure 1 can be solider and stronger.

Referring to FIG. 2 along with FIG. 1, FIG. 2 is a schematic viewillustrating a semiconductor light emitting structure 1′ according to asecond embodiment of the disclosure. The main difference between thesemiconductor light emitting structure 1′ and the aforesaidsemiconductor light emitting structure 1 is that a recess 26 may existafter forming the N-type electrode pad 22 since there is a heightdifference between the P-type semiconductor layer 124 and the N-typesemiconductor layer 120, such that the first upper surface 240 of theP-type electrode pad 24, the second upper surface 164 of the insulationlayer 16 and a part of the third upper surface 220 of the N-typeelectrode pad 22 are coplanar. It should be noted that as long as thefirst upper surface 240 of the P-type electrode pad 24 and the secondupper surface 164 of the insulation layer 16 are coplanar, the epitaxialstructure 12 can be strengthened. This embodiment can save moremanufacture time than the semiconductor light emitting structure 1 shownin FIG. 1 since this embodiment forms the conductive structures and theelectrode pads at the same time.

Referring to FIG. 3 along with FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a schematic viewillustrating a semiconductor light emitting structure 3 according to athird embodiment of the disclosure. The main difference between thesemiconductor light emitting structure 3 and the aforesaid semiconductorlight emitting structure 1 is that the semiconductor light emittingstructure 3 disposes a height increasing pad 14 on the epitaxialstructure 12 and the insulation layer 16 covers the height increasingpad 14, wherein a material of the height increasing pad 14 may be, butnot limited to, SiO₂ or metal. It should be noted that if the materialof the height increasing pad 14 is metal, the height increasing pad 14can cushion stresses well since the metal has better malleability; andif the material of the height increasing pad 14 is SiO₂, the heightincreasing pad 14 has good insulation effect . Furthermore, since theheight increasing pad 14 is located between the N-type electrode pad 22and the P-type electrode pad 24 and the insulation layer 16 covers theheight increasing pad 14, a width W of the height increasing pad 14 issmaller than a maximum horizontal distance D between the N-typeelectrode pad 22 and the P-type electrode pad 24. The objective ofdisposing the height increasing pad 14 is to make the second uppersurface 164 of the insulation layer 16 and the first upper surface 240of the P-type electrode pad 24 to be coplanar more easily. It should benoted that, in this embodiment, since the P-type conductive structure 20is filled in the hole 162 of the insulation layer 16, a thickness of theP-type conductive structure 20 is similar to a thickness of theinsulation layer 16. Accordingly, a height H1 of the height increasingpad 14 must be similar to a height H2 of the P-type electrode pad 24,such that the first upper surface 240 of the P-type electrode pad 24 andthe second upper surface 164 of the insulation layer 16 can be coplanar.

Referring to FIG. 4 along with FIG. 3, FIG. 4 is a schematic viewillustrating a semiconductor light emitting structure 3′ according to afourth embodiment of the disclosure. The main difference between thesemiconductor light emitting structure 3′ and the aforesaidsemiconductor light emitting structure 3 is that a recess 26 exists onthe N-type electrode pad 22 of the semiconductor light emittingstructure 3′, such that the first upper surface 240 of the P-typeelectrode pad 24, the second upper surface 164 of the insulation layer16 and a part of the third upper surface 220 of the N-type electrode pad22 are coplanar. It should be noted that as long as the first uppersurface 240 of the P-type electrode pad 24 and the second upper surface164 of the insulation layer 16 are coplanar, the epitaxial structure 12can be strengthened. Furthermore, the same elements in FIG. 4 and FIG. 3are represented by the same numerals, so the repeated explanation willnot be depicted herein again.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 alone with FIG. 3, FIGS. 5 and 6 areschematic views illustrating the process of manufacturing asemiconductor package structure 4 according to a fifth embodiment of thedisclosure. As shown in FIG. 5, the disclosure may provide a supportbase 30, an N-type bonding pad 32 and a P-type bonding pad 34, whereinthe N-type bonding pad 32 and the P-type bonding pad 34 are disposed onthe support base 30, and a recess 36 exists between the N-type bondingpad 32 and the P-type bonding pad 34 such that the N-type bonding pad 32and the P-type bonding pad 34 are apart.

After finishing the semiconductor light emitting structure 3 shown inFIG. 3, the N-type electrode pad 22 and the P-type electrode pad 24 ofthe semiconductor light emitting structure 3 may be bonded onto theN-type bonding pad 32 and the P-type bonding pad 34 of the support base,respectively, such that the N-type electrode pad 22 is electricallyconnected to the N-type bonding pad 32 and the P-type electrode pad 24is electrically connected to the P-type bonding pad 34, wherein a partof the N-type bonding pad 32 is not covered by the N-type electrode pad22 and a part of the P-type bonding pad 34 is not covered by the P-typeelectrode pad 24, so as to connect an external power source. In thisembodiment, a projection area A2 of the second upper surface 164 of theinsulation layer 16 projected on the support base 30 is larger than aprojection area A1 of the recess 36 projected on the support base 30,such that the second upper surface 164 of the insulation layer 16 coversthe recess 36 completely. However, the disclosure is not limited to theaforesaid manner. The projection area A2 of the second upper surface 164of the insulation layer 16 projected on the support base 30 may also beequal to the projection area A1 of the recess 36 projected on thesupport base 30. Preferably, there is an insulation material 38 disposedin the recess 36, so as to separate the N-type bonding pad 32 and theP-type bonding pad 34 from each other insulatingly. Furthermore, athickness of the insulation material 38 is similar to a thickness of theP-type bonding pad 34. Preferably, the thickness of the insulationmaterial 38 is similar to thicknesses of the P-type bonding pad 34 andthe N-type bonding pad 32, such that the insulation material 38 can beattached to the second upper surface 164 of the insulation layer 16, soas to prevent a gap from existing between the insulation material 38 andthe second upper surface 164 of the insulation layer 16.

Afterward, as shown in FIG. 6, the disclosure may remove the substrate10 by a laser removing process to finish the semiconductor packagestructure 4. As mentioned in the above, since the first upper surface ofthe P-type electrode pad 24 and the second upper surface 164 of theinsulation layer 16 are coplanar, the disclosure can effectively preventthe epitaxial structure 12 from cracking due to stresses while thesubstrate 10 is being removed by the laser removing process.

Referring to FIG. 7 along with FIG. 6, FIG. 7 is a schematic viewillustrating a semiconductor package structure 4′ according to a sixthembodiment of the disclosure. The main difference between thesemiconductor package structure 4′ and the aforesaid semiconductorpackage structure 4 is that the semiconductor package structure 4′further comprises a wavelength converting member 40 covering thesemiconductor light emitting structure 3. The wavelength convertingmember 40 may be made of, but not limited to, a mixture of a transparentglue and phosphor powders. The wavelength converting member 40 mayconvert a wavelength of a light emitted by the semiconductor lightemitting structure 3 into another wavelength, so as to change a color ofthe light emitted by the semiconductor light emitting structure 3. Itshould be noted that the same elements in FIG. 7 and FIG. 6 arerepresented by the same numerals, so the repeated explanation will notbe depicted herein again.

Referring to FIG. 8 along with FIG. 7, FIG. 8 is a schematic viewillustrating a semiconductor package structure 4″ according to a seventhembodiment of the disclosure. The main difference between thesemiconductor package structure 4″ and the aforesaid semiconductorpackage structure 4′ is that the semiconductor package structure 4″further comprises two external electrodes 42, 44 and the two externalelectrodes 42, 44 may be electrically connected to the N-type bondingpad 32 and the P-type bonding pad 34 through conductive materials 46,48, respectively. Accordingly, when the semiconductor package structure4″ is disposed on a circuit board (not shown), the external electrodes42, 44 may be electrically connected to a circuit layout of the circuitboard. It should be noted that the same elements in FIG. 8 and FIG. 7are represented by the same numerals, so the repeated explanation willnot be depicted herein again.

Referring to FIG. 9 along with FIG. 8, FIG. 9 is a schematic viewillustrating a semiconductor package structure 4′″ according to aneighth embodiment of the disclosure. The main difference between thesemiconductor package structure 4′″ and the aforesaid semiconductorpackage structure 4″ is that the wavelength converting member 40 of thesemiconductor package structure 4′″ covers the semiconductor lightemitting structure 3 and is extended to a side wall of the support base30. In other words, the disclosure can determine a cover range of thewavelength converting member 40 according to practical light emittingrequirement. It should be noted that the same elements in FIG. 9 andFIG. 8 are represented by the same numerals, so the repeated explanationwill not be depicted herein again.

As mentioned in the above, the disclosure makes the upper surface of theP-type electrode pad and the upper surface of the insulation layer to becoplanar, so as to strengthen the epitaxial structure. Accordingly, thedisclosure can effectively prevent the epitaxial structure from crackingdue to stresses while the substrate is being removed by a laser removingprocess. Furthermore, the disclosure may make the upper surface of theP-type electrode pad, the upper surface of the insulation layer and apart or the entire of the upper surface of the N-type electrode pad tobe coplanar, so as to further strengthen the epitaxial structure.Moreover, the disclosure may dispose the height increasing pad on theepitaxial structure and use the insulation layer to cover the heightincreasing pad, so as to ensure that the upper surface of the P-typeelectrode pad and the upper surface of the insulation layer are coplanarafter forming the semiconductor light emitting structure. Still further,the disclosure may use the wavelength converting member to cover thesemiconductor light emitting structure, so as to change the color of thelight emitted by the semiconductor light emitting structure.

Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerousmodifications and alterations of the device and method may be made whileretaining the teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the abovedisclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and boundsof the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A semiconductor light emitting structurecomprising: an epitaxial structure; a first type electrode pad and asecond type electrode pad disposed on the epitaxial structure apart, thesecond type electrode pad having a first upper surface; a heightincreasing pad disposed on the epitaxial structure and located betweenthe first type electrode pad and the second type electrode pad withoutdirectly contacting the first type electrode pad and the second typeelectrode pad; and an insulation layer disposed on the epitaxialstructure and located between the first type electrode pad and thesecond type electrode pad, the insulation layer and the heightincreasing pad being stacked together to form a second upper surface;wherein the first upper surface and the second upper surface arecoplanar.
 2. The semiconductor light emitting structure of claim 1,wherein the first type electrode pad has a third upper surface, and thefirst upper surface, the second upper surface and a part of the thirdupper surface are coplanar.
 3. The semiconductor light emittingstructure of claim 1, wherein a height of the height increasing pad issimilar to a height of the second type electrode pad.
 4. A semiconductorpackage structure comprising: a support base; a first type bonding padand a second type bonding pad disposed on the support base, a recessexisting between the first type bonding pad and the second type bondingpad; and a semiconductor light emitting structure of claim 1, the firsttype electrode pad being electrically connected to the first typebonding pad, the second type electrode pad being electrically connectedto the second type bonding pad.
 5. The semiconductor package structureof claim 4, further comprising an insulation material disposed in therecess.
 6. The semiconductor package structure of claim 4, furthercomprising a wavelength converting member covering the semiconductorlight emitting structure.
 7. A semiconductor light emitting structurecomprising: an epitaxial structure; a first type electrode pad and asecond type electrode pad disposed on the epitaxial structure apart; aheight increasing pad disposed on the epitaxial structure and locatedbetween and spaced from the first type electrode pad and the second typeelectrode pad; and an insulation layer disposed on the epitaxialstructure, the insulation layer and the height increasing pad beingstacked together, wherein an upper surface of the height increasing padis lower than an upper surface of one of the first type electrode padand the second type electrode pad.
 8. The semiconductor light emittingstructure of claim 7, wherein an upper surface of the second typeelectrode pad, an upper surface of the insulation layer, and a part ofan upper surface of the first type electrode pad are coplanar.
 9. Thesemiconductor light emitting structure of claim 7, wherein a height ofthe height increasing pad is similar to a height of the second typeelectrode pad.
 10. A semiconductor package structure comprising: asupport base; a first type bonding pad and a second type bonding paddisposed on the support base, a recess existing between the first typebonding pad and the second type bonding pad; and a semiconductor lightemitting structure of claim 7, the first type electrode pad beingelectrically connected to the first type bonding pad, the second typeelectrode pad being electrically connected to the second type bondingpad.
 11. The semiconductor package structure of claim 10, furthercomprising an insulation material disposed in the recess.
 12. Thesemiconductor package structure of claim 10, further comprising awavelength converting member covering the semiconductor light emittingstructure.
 13. A semiconductor light emitting structure comprising: anepitaxial structure; a first type electrode pad and a second typeelectrode pad disposed on the epitaxial structure apart; a heightincreasing pad disposed on the epitaxial structure and located betweenand spaced from the first type electrode pad and the second typeelectrode pad; and an insulation layer disposed on the epitaxialstructure, the insulation layer located between the first type electrodepad and the height increasing pad, and located between the second typeelectrode pad and the height increasing pad.
 14. The semiconductor lightemitting structure of claim 13, wherein an upper surface of the secondtype electrode pad, an upper surface of the insulation layer, and a partof an upper surface of the first type electrode pad are coplanar. 15.The semiconductor light emitting structure of claim 13, wherein a heightof the height increasing pad is similar to a height of the second typeelectrode pad.
 16. A semiconductor package structure comprising: asupport base; a first type bonding pad and a second type bonding paddisposed on the support base, a recess existing between the first typebonding pad and the second type bonding pad; and a semiconductor lightemitting structure of claim 13, the first type electrode pad beingelectrically connected to the first type bonding pad, the second typeelectrode pad being electrically connected to the second type bondingpad.
 17. The semiconductor package structure of claim 16, furthercomprising an insulation material disposed in the recess.
 18. Thesemiconductor package structure of claim 16, further comprising awavelength converting member covering the semiconductor light emittingstructure.